CREST HILL, Ill., September 17, 2026 — Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Brendan J. Cahill as the seventh bishop of the Diocese of Joliet. The announcement was made by Bishop Dennis E. Spies, Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Joliet.
Bishop Cahill has served as bishop of the Diocese of Victoria, Texas, since his appointment by Pope Francis in 2015. His biography and the official announcement of his appointment are available on the Diocese of Joliet’s website, www.diojoliet.org.
A press conference with Bishop Cahill will take place today at 2:30 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus in Joliet, IL. The press conference will also be livestreamed on the Diocese of Joliet’s YouTube channel.
Bishop Cahill’s installation Mass will be scheduled for November 2026. Additional details regarding the installation will be announced as they become available.
About the Diocese of Joliet
The Diocese of Joliet serves approximately 500,000 Catholics in DuPage, Ford, Grundy, Iroquois, Kankakee, Kendall, and Will counties.
Media Contact:
Ed Duffy Chief Communications Officer Diocese of Joliet
If you would like to become a member of St. Mary Immaculate Parish, you are welcome to register as a new parishioner online anytime at smip.org/register.
If you have already registered online and would like a tour of the campus, or would like to register in person, please join us on Sunday, September 27, at 10:15 AM in the St. Anne Room for our Welcome Gathering. Long-standing parishioners are also welcome to attend!
Please contact Laura Van Ham at lvanham@smip.org or 815-436-2651, x887 with any questions.
Make a Difference Day is on Saturday, October 17th this year!
You can sign up now for a service project at smip.org/MaDD
There are dozens of meaningful, family-oriented service projects are offered here at SMI and all around the community. It’s also a great opportunity for everyone to come together in loving service and fellowship!
Schedule of Events:
8:30 AM Daily Mass in the Church
9:00 AM Volunteer Blessing in the Church
9:00 AM – 3:45 PM Perform your service project some time during the day
We’re also working with the Plainfield Fire Department on sensory bags for Make a Difference Day!
In the lead-up to Make a Difference Day, we’re also looking for donations of rolls of fleece in solids or fun prints for Make a Difference Day.
Please note: we are in need of people that can sew who can bring their machine and sew the fleece the day of MaDD.
We are participating in making 14’ x 14” square blankets to help children at Linden Oaks relieve stress. All fleece can be dropped off in the commons now through October 11th. A donation of 1 yard will make 8 squares or donation of 2 yards will make 20 squares with less waste.
We are also looking for a volunteer painter or 2 to paint the Stations of the Cross and Benches in that area. Must be very meticulous when painting. Please consider helping “to shoulder a piece of the load” on our journey and support of our great parish. We have paint/stain already for this project. Interested? Have Questions?
For Make a Difference Day, we will be collecting food for 12 Micro Panties. Here are non-perishable food items that we need. Donations can be left in the blue wagons in the Narthex, near Commons Reception Desk or at the North entrance on the weekend of October 10/11. Only consider unexpired, unopened/sealed food. Of course, non-perishable. Canned Meats (Tuna, Chicken, Sausages) Canned soup and Chili Canned Spaghetti and Spaghetti O’S Canned Fruit Boxes of Breakfast Cereals Boxes of Rice-a-Roni and Pasta Roni Bars (Granola, Fruit, Breakfast) Applesauce Snack packs (Jell0O and Pudding Powdered Milk Bottles of Vegetable Oil, Salad Dressing, Condiments We have an ongoing ministry that brings food to 12 micro-pantries in the area. Any extra donations will be used to support all the micro pantries in the area.
Questions about the fleece donations or about MADD contact: Pam Angelus 815-436-2651 Ext. 849 or pangelus@smip.org
